Deal hungry JD Sports buys ActivInstinct

JD Sports Fashion has completed its second acquisition in a week, taking a majority stake in online outdoor clothing retailer ActivInstinct.

Last week the Bury-based owner of Blacks and Millets, took a controlling stake in a Scottish outdoor clothing and equipment retailer Tiso.

In a statement JD said it will work with the existing management team of ActivInstinct to increase its presence in the UK and also continue its expansion overseas. It said ActivInstinct has sales of £24m through two websites, activinstinct.com and milletsports.co.uk.

The company was owned by Judith and Simon Millet, but a spokesman for JD said there was no connection to the Millet’s retail chain which JD acquired when it bought Blacks.

JD’s executive chairman Peter Cowgill said: “We are delighted to extend our e-commerce and sports and outdoor performance operations through the acquisition of the www.activinstinct.com and www.milletsports.co.uk websites and we look forward to working with its existing management team to continue to grow the business from its Borehamwood premises.”
 
ActivInstinct’s managing director Simon Millet said: “After several years of rapid growth, we are pleased to be partnering with JD for the next phase of our development.”

Manchester-based Altium advised ActivInstinct.